MovieChat Forums > Isle of Dogs (2018) Discussion > Isle of Dogs Is Racist And Offensive?

Isle of Dogs Is Racist And Offensive?

posted 7 years ago by darkpast (8717)
8 replies | jump to latest

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/isle-dogs-is-cultural-appropriation-hollywoods-next-big-battleground-1098228

Woof

[–] Titaanzink (44) 7 years ago

Clearly a gross example of Cultural Appropriation.

Only dogs should write movies about dogs. What does Wes Anderson know about being a dog?

[–] charliekelly (1018) 7 years ago

Great point. Plus, did you notice that there is not one cat in the entire cast? In this day and age?! I'm upset and offended.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 7 years ago

There were several cats. Every one of them sinister and lurking in the lap of every "bad guy"

[–] captainbucky (15252) 7 years ago

What do you know about cooking a shirt?

[–] Titaanzink (44) 7 years ago

I must confess that shirt-cooking is an area where my expertise is lacking.

I also don't really see the relevance. You may have to run that one past me again.

[–] captainbucky (15252) 7 years ago

It's a little jab at Wes Anderson not knowing anything about dogs. Now, having said that, yes you're right. Shirt cooking is hard.

[–] AP (5288) 7 years ago

I'm not sure what the main problem here is with the writer of the article. He starts off saying that the voice actors are Americans despite the movie taking place in Japan but later states that artists can tell stories set in countries they are not native to. He then complains about the dogs being the most empathetic characters, but isn't this movie about those very same dogs? He wonders why the movie is set in Japan, but also points out that the co-writer of the story was Japanese himself (that should be a major clue). He mentions that Anderson didn't take the time to emerge the movie in Japanese culture but earlier in the article, he points out that the Japanese characters all speak their native language. I'm seeing a lot of sound and fury, but nothing is being signified.

[–] Ace_Spade (9544) 5 years ago

What if...cultural appropriation (and accusations thereof) are 99% nonsense...?

Seriously: I understand why having ignorant people mock or degrade somebody's culture is annoying to them, but drawing on other cultures for inspiration is wonderful.

As you say, the co-writer is Japanese. That right there is carte blanche to set the story in Japan, yes?

Opening doors for new voices is great! As is making sure that other voices aren't being drowned out by "the Establishment", but this isn't an instance of that. Most cries of "cultural appropriation" aren't that. Most are - in my observation/opinion - just another way for an angry person telling somebody else to shut up. It's a silencer used by mean-spirited, egomaniacal morons.